Donovan Mitchell got mad — like, real mad — then unceremoniously dismissed Blake Griffin and the Detroit Pistons in the Motor City.
If there’s one thing Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell is known for besides monster dunks and a penchant for putting points up in bunches, it’s his happy-go-lucky demeanor. On and off the court, Mitchell is constantly winning fans around the Association with his good nature.
On Saturday night, Mitchell finally got angry. And the Detroit Pistons learned first-hand that Jazz opponents won’t like him when he’s angry.
After a first half that saw his team fall down by 18 points early while he stumbled to two points on 1-of-4 shooting, something finally lit a fire under Utah’s alpha dog. Over the game’s final 18 minutes, he dropped 24 points to lead the Jazz to a 110-105 win in the Motor City; Blake Griffin‘s 34-point night be damned.
So, what was it that perturbed Mitchell to such a degree? Turns out it was one of the Detroit faithful.
“He said something, and it really just snapped for me,” said Mitchell following the win. “I don’t know what it was, and it shouldn’t take for somebody to say something for me to be the player I play, but that’s what happened.”
The Jazz star let the fan know as much, too. When Mitchell pulled up from the mid-range and knocked down a tough shot to seal the game for the Jazz with just 22 clicks remaining, he barked at the now-infamous fan: “You did this!” —
Spida iced the game, then appeared to tell Andre Drummond: “You did this. This is your fault”
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 6, 2019
Cold-blooded ❄️ (h/t @VinceGoodwill) pic.twitter.com/f5GxcEpup4
I don’t want to be hyperbolic here, but it was an MJ-like act of defiance in the face of unfavorable odds in an unfriendly environment.
Initial reports surmised that he was giving the business to Pistons center Andre Drummond, but Mitchell later left no doubt about the object of his ire.
“I hate to do this, but I’m giving all the credit to the dude in the corner. He really pissed me off.”
Jazz fans thank you, dude in the corner.
I’d say the rest of the Association has officially been put on-notice. If you don’t want Mitchell clawing victory from the jaws of defeat on your home floor, keep yourself and your fans in check. The 2018 Rookie of the Year runner-up may be all smiles under normal circumstances, but he’s apt to hulk up at any moment.
With the win, the Jazz band finally drew even for the year at 20-20. They’ll have a chance to finish the opening half of their schedule over .500 when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.